Ontario updates soil mapping with $5.1M investment

Apr 22, 2016

Farmers can use new information in their operations

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Ontario and the Federal Government are investing in soil mapping, giving farmers new tools and technologies to understand the soil.

“Today we acknowledge the hard work and commitment that Ontario’s farmers have always put into being good stewards of the land,” said Ontario minister of agriculture Jeff Leal.

Soil

The investment of $5.1 million will help farmers alter their operations by providing data to support agricultural initiatives, contributing information about climate change and protecting Ontario’s lakes.

Soil mapping is expected to begin this spring, starting with farmland in Ottawa, Peterborough and the corridor between Cochrane and Hearst; Light Detection and Ranging, remote sensing, GIS and specialized computer software will be used to collect the data.

In 2017 and 2018, mapping will take place in the upper portion of the Grand River Conservation Authority and Temiskaming Shores.

Industry professionals are eager to use the information to their agricultural and environmental advantage.

“As farmers we strive to understand the soil’s potential and limitations, so we can develop sustainable crop production systems and conserve a robust environment,” said Gord Green, president of Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.

Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha said the investment will help farmers reduce their environmental footprint and adapt to climate change needs.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.